Shoulder Bursitis
Medically speaking, shoulder bursitis is swelling and inflammation that occurs between the bone at the top of your shoulder — called your acromion — and your upper arm bone or humerus. It's also possible for this inflammation to occur between the tendons and muscles around your shoulder. Either way, it can cause extensive shoulder pain.
Everybody has fluid-filled sacs that lubricate and cushion areas prone to friction. Your bursa sacs actually help to reduce the friction and irritation that lead you to seek bursitis shoulder treatment in Midtown Manhattan. The friction can occur between:
- Bones
- Tendons and bones
- Ligaments and bones
- Bones and skin
Shoulder Bursitis NYC — SPIN Sports Pain Specialists
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Causes for Treatment for Shoulder Bursitis
Repetitive, minor impacts to a specific area are the most common cause of bursitis. But it can also be the result of more serious injuries that happen suddenly. Your age is also a contributing factor. As you age, your tendons are less able to tolerate stress, placing more pressure on your bursae.
Regardless of whether bursitis in your shoulder is caused by injury or overuse, whether if began at work or play, your lifestyle plays a role. Poor posture wreaks havoc on the lubricating sacs. Repetitive motions or strong impacts will hurt you over time. And if you stretch improperly before or after you exercise, you're putting yourself at a higher risk of developing bursitis.
Certain types of arthritis in your joints and physical defects, as when your legs are different lengths, put stress on your bursa sacs. Inflammation and stress from other injuries and conditions also can lead to bursitis. These sometimes include:
- Rotator cuff tear
- Shoulder tendonitis
- Gout
- Thyroid disorders
- Unusual medication reactions
- Infection
Symptoms of Bursitis
Pain is generally the main indicator of bursitis in your shoulder. Your pain may build slowly over time or strike suddenly, without warning. You may feel it as slight discomfort, or it may feel severe and intolerable.
If you have calcium deposits in your shoulder, the pain can be intense. You may even suffer a severe loss in the range of motion in your shoulder. This condition is called adhesive capsulitis. It's more commonly known as a frozen shoulder and can come from the immobility and pain caused by your bursitis. The worse your shoulder hurts, the less you tend to move it. Unfortunately, the lack of motion can make your condition significantly worse.
Shoulder Bursitis Treatment in Midtown Manhattan, NY
There's a variety of ways and techniques used in shoulder bursitis treatment. These typically include:
Take a break
to rest your problem shoulder, as advised by your Manhattan sports medicine doctor. You'll feel an immediate relief in this treatment of shoulder bursitis.
Avoid activities that irritate your bursitis
This doesn't reverse your condition, but it goes a long way toward beginning your treatment for shoulder bursitis.
Apply ice
to the area of your injury. Icing your shoulder after exercise can, in some cases, prevent the condition from happening in the first place.
Take over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medications
, which the doctor should approve. But if your condition doesn't improve in the course of a week, seek additional bursitis in shoulder treatment.
Get a round of corticosteroid injections as a bursitis shoulder treatment option
They're widely used as bursitis in shoulder treatment because they can drastically reduce your swelling. However, if your condition doesn't improve rapidly, your doctor may advise you to discontinue this treatment because it may mask other potentially serious symptoms. Additional symptoms may indicate that your bursitis shoulder treatment should be reevaluated.
Follow physical therapy and pain management recommendations
These treatment options are often the cornerstones of your shoulder bursitis treatment. Developing your range of motion, strength, and function ensures a speedy recovery and improves the overall quality of your life.
Consider surgery as a last resort
In the most severe cases, there is no response to previously attempted treatment for shoulder bursitis. Surgery may be the best bursitis-in-shoulder treatment option for you.
Ready to find relief from shoulder bursitis?
Dr. Melepura's Midtown Manhattan clinic offers same-day appointments for evaluation and treatment.
Continued Bursitis in Shoulder Treatment
If a new exercise plan is in your future, be smart about it. If you work out with weights, you'll lower your chances of developing bursitis by building up your weight and repetitions gradually. If you experience any type of new or unusual pain, stop what you're doing immediately.
Staying strong and healthy is the name of the game. Stretching is critical to keep your body flexible, especially as you age or take on new physical challenges. Build a relationship with your Manhattan sports medicine team to stay on top of your physical issues. Once you have shoulder tendonitis or bursitis, it's often easier to get them again.
Real Stories from our Patients
Dr. Febin Melepura, MD
Double Board-Certified Pain Specialist
Meet Dr. Febin Melepura — Your Shoulder Bursitis Specialist in NYC
Dr. Febin Melepura, MD is a double board-certified interventional pain management specialist and the founder of the Sports Pain Institute of New York. He completed his residency and fellowship training at New York Presbyterian Hospital / Columbia University Medical Center, one of the nation's leading academic medical centers.
He holds dual board certifications from the American Board of Anesthesiology and the American Board of Pain Medicine, and has treated more than 7,500 patients and performed over 5,250 procedures throughout his career. He has been named a Top Pain Management Doctor in New York and one of America's Top Doctors™ by Castle Connolly.
Dr. Melepura's approach to shoulder bursitis is rooted in precision: identify the exact source, treat it with a targeted injection, and get you back to your daily life as quickly as possible.
Ready to Book an Appointment?
Same-day appointments available. Call (212) 621-7746 or book online.
What Our Shoulder Bursitis Patients Say
"Able to make an appointment to see Dr. Melepura on short notice… attentive to my concerns… Jazmin was also very kind and helpful."
"Excellent hospitality, listener and explainer… highly recommend the doctor and the place."
"Dr. Melepura is the best! He worked with me to find the optimal solution to my shoulder pain while I was preparing for a fight!"
"Lovely, bright and modern… doctor and staff were kind… felt my concerns were heard."
"Helpful and friendly staff who gladly follows up with you if and when needed. Dr Melepura was very helpful and professional as well as provided me with excellent information and feedback."
"Dr Febin is fantastic! Highly recommend him and his practice the Spin clinic. The doctor is a good listener, kind, attentive and gave me great advice. "
"Dr.Melepura was very efficient and interpersonal, felt like he was understanding the problems I was having and explained the processes to take to rehabilitate. I would recommend."
"I felt listened to and truly understood by Dr. Melepura. Started PT the very next day. They were very friendly and I didn't feel rushed at all. Already recommended them to my friends who have or continue to play through pain."